Package building



March 20, 1962 K- NOORIDENBOS' 3,025,657

PACKAGE BUILDING Filed. July 14, 1959 INVENTOR. PIETER KLAAS NOORDENBOS M BMW A 3,fl25,fi57 Patented. Mar. 20, 1962 tic 3,025,657 PACKAGE BUILDING Pieter Klaas Noordenhos, Ede, Netherlands, assignor to American Erika Corporation, Enka, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 14, 1959, Ser. No. 827,020 Ciaims priority, application Netherlands Aug. 12, 1958 6 Claims. (Cl. 57--75) This invention relates in general to the formation of packages containing yarn and more particularly to a driven traveler and ring type package collector for providing a supply of non-twisted yarn.

It is generally known to supply yarn through a thread guiding eyelet and yarn balloon to a traveler frictionally supported by a driven ring. A bobbin or yarn receiving package is rotatably supported coaxially of the driven ring, and is driven at a higher rate of speed than the ring. The traveler of course must slip somewhat relative to the ring in order to compensate for the difference in speed mentioned. Accordingly, as the traveler rotates slower than the rotating package collector and drive spindle which supports the same, the yarn is wound more in the manner of a flat take-up than a conventional ring twister. Machinery of this type has received much attention in the past. For example, see US. Patent No. 2,541,238, which issued on February 13, 1951, to I. M. Goree.

Although high speeds of operation are attained, all of these known systems are characterized by a driven spindle, driven ring and yarn-driven traveler rotating at a speed intermediate the two; consequently, it is necessary to combine winding with laying of twist in order to secure satisfactory operation. As a matter of fact, it has not been found possible heretofore to obtain completely untwisted yarn from these packages.

For certain aftertreatments, it is desired that the yarn supplied be absolutely untwisted. Since it is impossible to supply such yarn with the known equipment described above, because the very nature of the same requires introduction of twist in order to provide collection, a suitable alternative was necessary. Moreover, with the known systems, both the package and ring must be rotated at a high rate of speed during the entire winding operation. It has also been found that air and bearing frictions which must be overcome consume a considerable amount of the available energy.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a modified package collector not having the disadvantages of those discussed supra.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new process and apparatus for producing untwisted yarn.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a yarn collecting system which may be operated at higher than normal speeds.

Still an additional object of this invention is to provide a system permitting production of untwisted yarn at a very low consumption of energy.

A more important object of the present invention is to provide a yarn collecting system from which untwisted yarn may be unwound in a conventional manner, and without elaborate additional equipment.

In the past it was felt that the aforesaid traveler must be rotated by the yarn which is driven while being collected on the package. It has ben found, however, that the aforesaid objects may be accomplished in a surprisingly simple manner it this concept is abandoned.

In accordance with the present invention, the desired result is obtained by securing the conventional driven spindle with respect to the spindle frame whereby the package collecting tube will not be permitted to rotate. The ring is driven in a known manner, but in this instance the ring contributes directly to traveler drive. Consequently, the traveler drives and winds yarn much in the manner of a flyer, rather than the converse. The device does not operate in the manner of a fiyer, however, since slight irregularities in tension are immediately detected and compensated because of the frictional relationship between the traveler and driven ring.

The invention will now be described With particular attention directed to the figure, which illustrates in perspective two package building positions or stations of a machine modified in the manner described briefly above. Inasmuch as one position is a substantial duplicate of the other, only the end station 10 will be described.

Ring rail 11 is stationarily supported by a conventional machine frame, not shown, and in turn serves as a mounting for each of the stud shafts 12, three of which are shown for each winding station. Each stud shaft 12 rotatably supports one of the flanged wheels 13, as shown. The circumferential spacing between respective end flanges or discs on the wheels 13 provide access for belt 14 which is driven in a known manner from a source not shown.

A known ring 15 provided with a peripheral recess is supported in the manner indicated by the upper flange on each of three flanged wheels 13. A ring traveler 16 is slidably supported by the ring 15 and operates in a manner soon to be described more specifically. A vertically reciprocating traversing rail 17 serves as a support for each of the bobbin or spool holders 18. The rail 17 and holders 18 are reciprocated by known mechanism to provide the proper relative traverse lbetween yarn and collection means. It is pointed out, however, that the holders 18 are non-rotatably, or fixedly, secured to the rail 17 in order to prevent package rotation during collection. If necessary or desired, the holders 18 may terminate in a shaft 20 for contributing to package alignment within ring 15.

A package receiving spool or bobbin 21 is placed over the shaft 20 and within holder 18 in general alignment with the axis of ring 15. Yarn 22 is fed to this package from a source of supply not shown through guide 23 and traveler 16, and the leading end thereof is fixed or secured to the spool. Although the spool 21 is shown as being flanged, the present invention of course could be practiced with tubular or other type collecting means.

In the operation of the described device rotation is imparted to the rings 15 through belt 14 and cooperating flanged wheels 13. Through the inherent frictional resistance interposed therebetween, rotation of the ring imparts movement to the traveler 16. The yarn 22 of course imparts a resistance to traveler movement, so that the traveler slides slightly with respelct to the moving ring. Inasmuch as the spool 21 is held stationary, however. the sliding eifect of the traveler produces no more than an end-wound twist. Endwise unwinding, consequently, will de-twist the yarn and result in a product having substantially parallel filaments. The yarn package is traversed relative to the ring and traveler by the traverse rail 17, mentioned earlier.

In the past it was felt that the conventional ballon shape was essential for a smooth Winding process. This is not the case, however, as evidenced by successful operation of the device described above, which, as will be apparent to those skilled in this art, does not provide a balloon of the type heretofore known.

Since the traveler is not driven by the yarn, but on the contrary now drives the yarn at a rotating speed which may be considered low according to known standards, the relative influence of forces between the traveler and yarn is substantially different from that of conventional machinery.

Surprisingly enough, it now appears that not only can untwisted yarn be produced on this equipment, but the same can be accomplished at traveler speeds considerably lower than required in normal ring twisting operations. As a result of this, it has been found possible to wind yarn at speeds equal to or even higher than that of rotating spindle machines because the air friction on the traveler and yarn balloon is lower with a concomitant reduction in energy consumed.

In order for the yarn to be wound onto spool 21, the traveler of course must rotate against the yarn tension. Tp overcome this, the ring must impart a higher than normal frictional force on the traveler. In order not to accumulate yarn, however, a unidirectional relative speed between ring and traveler should always be maintained.

Since it is known in this art that a uniform movement of traveler over ring is possible only with a rather substantial difference in velocity therebetween, it might be expected in applying the present invention that the ring must be driven at a speed considerably higher than that of the traveler. If this were true, however, one of the most important advantages of this system would be defeated to a great extent, since the high speed of the ring would produce a high air friction and, accordingly, would require a large amount of energy for driving the rings. Contrary to what might be expected on the basis of this experience, however, it now appears that a quiet movement of traveler over the ring is possible if the speed of the ring is adjusted to be at least a few percent higher than the traveler speed.

Originally, difficulties were encountered upon starting the winding process because the traveler failed to reach operating speed in the desired time period. Various solutions proved to be satisfactory for obviating this difiiculty. For example, the edge of the ring may be roughened to increase the friction between it and the traveler. This solution, however, results in increased traveler wear and therefore is less desirable than others. It was also felt that the initially excess speed lag of the traveler might be overcome if the ring were brought up to speed more slowly, as in incremental steps. This requires additional complicated winding machinery, however, at additional expense.

A solution to this problem which is by no means obvious but which proved to be satisfactory at no increased expense is a change in the ring lubrication. Instead of the usual low-viscosity spindle oil provided between the ring and traveler, it has been found that a high viscosity grease, such as Vaseline, should be used. It is preferred that this grease have a paraffin base, although this of couse is not critical and consistent fat, waxes, fats or mixtures thereof, either with or without the addition of resins, may also be used. It is important only that the lubricant have a high viscosity, as does grease, so as to insure initial starting of the traveler along with the ring, but yet permit relative slippage therebetween during normal operation.

Other possibilities and advantages will become apparent upon reference to the following actual operations.

Example I A traveler ring with a diameter of 165 mm. was provided with a steel traveler No. 17, weight 0.568 gm. The ring was lubricated with acid-free Vaseline. A 100 denier yarn on the base of polyamide, and formed from caprolactam, was supplied to the thread guiding eyelet 23 at successive speeds of 150, 200, 250 and 300 meters per minute, and this yarn was then wound on a bobbin having a diameter of 66 mm.

The minimum number of revolutions of the ring at which this yarn was uniformly wound amounted to 700, 1100, 1300 and 1500 r.p.m., respectively. When winding on thicker bobbins, or bobbins having a diameter of 100 mm., these rates amounted to 500, 600, 800 and 1000 r.p.m., respectively. the following data were obtained for the yarn tension:

With the same ring described above, but with a bronze traveler of 5.9 g. weight, 1850 denier raypn tire cord yarn was wound at a rate of 250 meters per minute. The ring had been lubricated lightly with consistent fat. A package of 151 mm. was wound very well on a bobbin of 60 mm. at a ring revolution of 1350 r.p.m. The following yarn tensions were measured at various diameters:

Package diameter, mm 88 i 98 133 144 151 res 1 125 70 so 55 Yarn tension, g

Example III Again with the same ring, but this time with a bronze traveler .of 1.60 g. weight, a 630 denier polyamide tire cord yarn was wound on a bobbin of mm., at a supply rate of 300 meters per minute. The ring was driven at a rate of 1300 r.p.m. A package of mm. was wound, the tension of yarn falling gradually during the winding of the bobbin from 60 to 40 g.

Although the winding system described above is suitable for winding all types of yarn, the same is particularly adaptable for producing non-twisted yarn. Previously, the winding of this type yarn was possible only on driven packages to which the yarn was laterally supplied. This may now be accomplished by supplying yarn axially of the take-up means through a top thread guiding eyelet. Elaborate tension controls, such as the extensive electronic equipment now in use, although required on the known devices, is not essential to satisfactory operation of the described system.

Moreover, in order to produce untwisted yarn with known systems, the package must be unwound with a rolling action which is the reverse of the fiat type package building. With the present system, the package may be held stationary and yarn may be withdrawn axially therefrom to remove the slight twist imparted by the traveler. Consequently, if untwisted yarn is processed in the manner illustrated herein, untwisted yarn will be available for further treating.

Furthermore, whereas both radial and axial mounting of the spindle on a ring twisting machine is very exacting, with the present invention only the ring and traveler must rotate, and the package support need not be critically adjusted. Additionally, the problem of balancing the conventional ring twisting spindle is entirely removed from the novel apparatus.

Although the production of completely untwisted yarn has been found to be impractical with known winding and unwinding devices, the present invention permits economical production of this yarn with such accuracy that the filaments of the resulting product may be divided subsequently into separate threads if desired.

Inasmuch as modifications and accompanying advantages will become apparent to those skilled in this art, it is intended that the scope of this invention be limited only to the extent set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of yarn collection comprising the steps of fixing a leading end of yarn to a stationary package With these operating conditions,

holder, and driving the yarn about its axis onto the package holder while compensating automatically for tension irregularities.

2. A method of winding comprising the steps of supplying yarn to a non-rotatable package holder along a path parallel to the axis of said holder, changing the direction of yarn travel and rotating the same about the package holder while compensating for tension irregularities, and reciprocating the package holder to lay the yarn in package form thereon.

3. A method for providing untwisted yarn comprising the steps of supplying untwisted yarn to a stationary package holder along a direction parallel to the axis of said holder, rotating the yarn about its axis while winding the same onto said package holder, whereupon endwise type unwinding of said yarn from a stationary package will remove slight twist imparted during collection, and compensating for irregularities in yarn tension.

4. An apparatus for collecting yarn comprising a stationary package holder, 21 ring disposed coaxially of said package holder, drive means for rotating said ring, and a ring traveler slidably supported on said ring.

5. Apparatus for collecting yarn comprising a stationary package holder, a thread guide mounted outwardly from but substantially coaxially of said package holder,

a twisting ring rotatably supported coaxially of said package holder, a ring traveler slidably supported on said twisting ring, means for supplying yarn through said thread guide and traveler onto said package holder, and drive means for rotating said twisting ring relative to said stationary package holder to wind yarn thereon.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further comprising a high viscosity lubricant provided on said twisting ring in contact with said traveler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,396 Milward June 4, 1901 820,629 Draper May 15, 1906 857,088 Meats et a1. June 18, 1907 903,965 Ferranti Nov. 17, 1908 1,465,514 Gaunt et al Aug. 21, 1923 1,514,326 Kosken Nov. 4, 1924 2,479,401 Pope Aug. 16, 1949 2,563,187 Pennati Aug. 7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,434 Great Britain of 1905 571,566 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1945 

